The Iqqub: towards the quantification of the economic importance of an Ethiopian savings and credit association (ROSCA)
2004
Dejene Aredo (Addis Abeba University, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia). Department of Economics))
Rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs) have remained popular in many developing countries, despite the expansion of formal financial institutions. Iqqub, the Ethiopian ROSCA, has gained enormous popularity among people from all walks of life over the past decades. Perhaps, its popularity is surpassed only by its sister institution, the iddir. However, out understanding of iqqub has remained limited and its relative size has remained unknown to researchers. This study attempts to analyze the major aspects of iqqub and generate rough estimates of its potentials in contributing to domestic saving mobilization efforts in rural areas. Using a review of the available literature and results of the four rounds of Ethiopian Rural Household Surveys (ERHS), the study has generated qualitative and quantitative evidence of the economic potentials of the iqqub. It has also argued that these potentials have resulted from the enormous capacity of this institution to the flexible, adaptable and accessible under different conditions. The findings of the study could provide food for though for development actors interested in mobilizing already available institutions and knowledge systems of rural people.
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